Compressor plant pulsation dampening system



Dec. 9, 1952 F. M. STEPHENS COMPRESSOR PLANT PULSATION DAMPENING SYSTEM Filed Aug. 14, 1950 ESTER M. S'rs yszvs,

IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 9, 1952 COMPRESSOR PLANT PULSATION DAMPENING SYSTEM Foster M. Stephens, Monterey Park, Calif., assignor to The Fluor Corporation, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application August 14, 1950, Serial No. 179,327

6 Claims. (Cl. 230236) 1 This invention has to do with improvements in gas compressor plant pulsation dampening systems of the general type comprising a gas intake or discharge header or manifold connected to individual compressors by extended smaller diameter pipes or laterals, the sizes or volumes of the header sections to which the laterals are connected, and the length and diameters of the laterals, all being so related to such conditions as the velocity of sound in the gas and a selected gas pulsation frequency (created by the compressor), as to convert the gas stream leaving the header to a state of substantially non-pulsating flow with respect to the frequency or frequencies selected for removal.

This type of system also is dealt with in the Stephens Patent No. 2,474,555, to which reference may be had for explanation of the theoretical considerations involved in the sizing of various parts of the system therein disclosed as well as the present equipment. In general, the aforesaid patent discloses a dampening system in which the compressors communicate individually with a single header through laterals connected to longitudinal header lengths or chambers between which the header is restricted to prevent accumulation of pulse energies from one to the.-

other of the chambers. Fabrication of the header thus involves the use of different size parts or sections in forming alternate enlarged chambers and relatively restricted intercommunications between them.

My present general object is to provide an improved lateral and header system retaining the basic fundamental acoustical characteristics of the patented system in communicating each compressor through a relatively small diameter lateral with an enlarged chamber section of the header, but providing for the elimination of cumulative resonance effects between the cham-J bers while maintaining the header diameter submaintain constant the pipe diameter, a feature of value in facilitating fabrication and installation of the header on the job.

Preferably the header is made in the form of straight and relatively ofiset sections corresponding in number to the required number of acoustical chambers, and joined by reverse bend connections service as unrestricted acoustical barriers to the extent of preventing consequen-- tial interchamber resonance amplifications.

lhe various details of the invention will be fully understood from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shownin the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the present dampening system is adaptable for connection with any number of gas compressors, diagrammatically indicated at it, and of which three are shown merely as illustrative. Also the dampening system is connectible with either the intake or discharge sides of the compressors and will operate to remove pulsations created in the intake or discharge gas streams, as the case may be. Typically, the dampening system, generally indicated at H, is shown to be connected with the discharge sides of twin cylinder piston type compressors operating at rather low frequency to discharge the gas into the chambers l2 with which the compressors conventionally are equipped.

From chambers l2 the gas is discharged through laterals or pipes 13, preferably equipped with valves l4 so that any individual compressors may be cut out of the system. As illustrated, pipes l3 are of extended length and function in the nature of acoustical inductances restricting the gas streams being discharged from the chambers l2.

Pipes [3 are connected to a common header, generally indicated at [5, and specifically to the header sections I5a functioning, like chambers l2, as acoustical capacitances and being defined by pipe sections of substantially larger diameter than the laterals I 3. The header sections I 5a, referably stand in parallel, laterally offset relation, and are interconnected by the reverse pipe bends l6 of corresponding diameter. As the drawing shows, the pipe bends l6 may be shaped in the simple form of connected elbows extending in reverse relation and in continuity with the off-set header sections l5a. By reason of the oifset relation of the header sections and their interconnection by the pipe bends l5, there can be no great line resonance transmission between the chambers. Accordingly, the arrangement tends to confine a condition of resonance existing in any one of the sections lie by reason of pulse transmission from the compressor, to that section, and to prevent such resonance transmission from one to the other of the chambers as might otherwise result in troublesome resonance amplifications. For most eficient pulsation elimination and the avoidance of standing wave conditions in the header, the length of each section [a is kept below one-quarter of the wave length of the compressor-created pulsation to be removed.

As to considerations which may be taken into account in the design of the acoustical systems represented by the chambers l2, [5a and the interconnecting pipe 13, reference may be had to my previously issued Patents Nos. 2,405,100 issued July 30, 1946 on Pulsation Elimination in Gas Lines, and 2,474,555, issued June 28, 1949 on Gas Line Pulsation Dampening System.

I claim:

1. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having longitudinal sections, pipe bends corresponding in diameter to the manifold sections interconnecting said sections and interfering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections and adapted to be connected respectively with the compressors.

2. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having successive laterally offset elongated pipe sections, pipe bends interconnecting said sections and interfering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections and adapted to be connected respectively with the compressors.

3. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having successive laterally offset elongated pipe sections, pipe bends corresponding in diameter to the manifold interconnecting said sections and interfering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections and adapted to be connected respectively with the compressors.

4. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having successive laterally offset and parallel elongated pipe sections, pipe bends shaped essentially as connected elbows extending in reverse relation interconnecting said sections and interfering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections and adapted to be connected respectively with the com- PIBSSOIS.

5. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having successive laterally offset and parallel elongated pipe sections, pipe bends shaped essentially as connected elbows extending in reverse relation corresponding in diameter to the manifold interconnecting said sections and intefering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections near their longitudinal centers and adapted to be connected respectively with the compressors.

6. A gas pulsation dampening system for use with a plurality of gas compressors, comprising a relatively large diameter manifold line having successive laterally offset and parallel longitudinal sections, pipe bends shaped essentially as connected elbows extending in reverse relation corresponding in diameter to the manifold interconnecting said sections and interfering with straight line flow of the gas between the sections, and pipes of smaller diameter than said manifold connected to said sections near their longitudinal centers and adapted to be connected respectively with the compressors, the length of each of said sections being less than one-quarter of the wave length of the pulsations to be removed.

FOSTER M. STEPHENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,775,511 Chapman Sept. 9, 1930 2,405,100 Stephens July 30, 1946 2,474,555 Stephens June 28, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 376,3'7e Great Britain July 14, 1932 

